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The measures, initiatives and reforms announced in the 2024-2025 Budget comes into effect today.

Employers are required to adhere to the new minimum wage rate that comes into effect.

In a move to significantly benefit civil servants across the country, the substantial pay increase comes into effect from today as well.

Effective from today, the national minimum wage will increase to $4.50 per hour.

This will be followed by a further increase to $5 per hour, effective from April 1st next year.

In addition to the general minimum wage increase, sector-specific wages will also see a rise.

Starting today all sector wages will be increased by 50 cents across the board, with an additional 50-cent increase set for April 1st next year.

The salary-based civil servants would receive a pay rise ranging from 7% to 10%, while wage earners are set to see increments between 10% and 20%.

Specifically, the lowest wage in the civil service, which falls under Band A, will increase from $4.60 an hour to $5.60 an hour—a 20% rise.

Those in Band B, currently earning $6.27 an hour on Step 3, will enjoy a substantial 60% pay increase.

Meanwhile, the transit hours for departure tax exemption will reduce from today from 96 hours to 48 hours, (equivalent to two days).

Excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco products will increase by five percent.

The water resource tax rate will increase from one cent per litre to 5 cents per litre, for producers who extract between 0 to less than 10 million litres per month.

The fiscal duty on prefabricated buildings will be reduced from 32 percent to five percent.

The Fiji Revenue and Customs Services is expected to exceed the $3 billion mark in tax collection for the first time this year.

For the 2024-25 budget tax collections are estimated at $3.3b while non-tax revenue collected are budgeted at $618m.

Furthermore, the bus fare allowance for elderly and people with disabilities from today will convert into a cash allowance of $25 per month.

All our social pensioners above the age of 70 years and those on disability allowance will now receive a $25 per month cash allowance instead of the bus card top-up.

Pensioners over the age of 70 will now receive a monthly cash allowance of $150, an increase from the current $125 per month.

The budget is set with a total expenditure of $4.552 billion and a total revenue of $3.917 billion.